Improvement in pumps



'N4 PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHEIR/WASHINGTON.- D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT VAN CAMP, OF SOMERSET COUNTY, NEWv JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELFAND JASPER BERGER, OE SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN suivies.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,323, dated September17, 1861.

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, GILBERT VAN CAMP, of the county of Somerset and Stateof New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pumps; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

In constructing double-acting pumps with cylinder-heads and ball-valvesthe piston has heretofore been worked in a slot in the side ot' thecylinder. By this arrangement it is impossible to pack the piston-rod,and the slightest imperfection or Wear in the piston produces leakagefirst into the central portion of the cylinder and then through the slotaround the piston-rod, thus occasioning great inconvenience by producingincreased friction and other disadvantages, which altogether render suchpumps of comparatively little value. The object of my invention is toovercome these dilicultiesand at the same time to adord a pump of verysimple and cheap construction.

My invention consists of a peculiar arrangement of a short cylinder andsolid single piston, in combination with cylinder-caps provided withball-valves in the usual manner, and also in the combination andarrangement of the cylinder-cap with a packing-box for the piston-rod.

The accompanying drawings represent a vertical section of a pump with myimprovements.

The cylinderAis usually made very shortsay about seven inches. Thepiston B is solid and plays the whole length of cylinder A, thus havinga stroke of only six inches and acting both in its forward and in itsbackward motion.

Cast in the same piece with cylinder A are two water-passages, one abovethe cylinder andthe other below, as seen in the drawings. Attached tothe ends of the cylinder are two caps c c', provided with ball-valves D.The seats of the two upper valves are cast in the caps,while the seatsofthe twolower ones are at the ends of the lower water-passages, as shownin Figure l. These caps are secured to the cylinder by a screwbolt, andthe joint should be packed by rubber, as indicated in blue in thedrawings. There is also at'th valve E placed below the lowerwater-passage, and all the joints are packed in the usual manner.

Above the cylinder A and upper water-passage is an air-chamber G, with atube H extending from the top nearly to the bottom of said chamber.Above this chamber is a curved tube I, which serves as the pump-spout,and to which a hose may be screwed for various purposes. The piston isintended to be worked by hand by means of the lever and connecting-rod;but it may be operated in any other manner. i

One of the cylinder-caps C is provided with a common packing-box,through which the piston-rod works directly into the end of the cylinderthrough the main chamber of the cap C. By this simple arrangement of thepiston` rod, in connection with the cap and cylinder, the practicalworking of the pump is much improved, at the same time the constructionas a whole is cheaper. The stroke of the piston is made the whole lengthof cylinder. As the piston advances toward left it forces a volume ofwater equal to the whole contents of the cylinder up through the upperValve in the course indicated by the black arrow on the left hand in thedrawings. At the same moment the water'tlows into the cylinder on theright through the lower valve, as indicated by the black arrow on theright. Thus the cylinder is kept constantly full, the water pressingupon both sides of the piston-head B. On the return-stroke of the pistontoward the right the valves by the black arrows are closed and the othertwo ballvalves are opened, so that the cylinder is again emptied andlled, the water flowing in the direction indicated by the red arrows.Thus the cylinder is tilled and emptied at every stroke of the pistonwhether forward or backward.

It will be observed that the short cylinder A, about seven inches inlength, the pist-on B,

and the piston-rod, seven inches in length, are the only joints whichrequire nice Workmanship. The cylinder is closed by fixed joints packedwith rubber and not liable to injury; also, the packing-box ,M containsa rubber packing to secure against leakage, so that the working partsare constructed Very cheaply and not liable to need repairs. As thewater presses upon both sides of the solid piston-head B, slight wearwill not seriously affect the working of the piston.

I am aware that the cylinder-heads, withthevalvesandwater-passagesabovedescriberl, are not new'. Therefore I donot claim these or any of the separate devices as-such; but I believethat my arrangement of these devices is new, forming a pump which, asaWhole, is a great improvement upon other pumps of similar construction.

Having thus fully described my invention7 what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of thc United States, is-

1. The combination and arrangement of the short closed cylinder A', thesolid piston B,

working from'end to end of said cylinder in A connection with thecylinder-caps C and C', substantially in the manner and for the purposesset forth.

2. In combination therewith, the cylindercap C and the stufngbox M, asand for the purposes herein set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of October,1860.

' GILBERT VAN CAMP.

Witnesses:

" EDWF. BROWN,

DANIEL BREED.

